Archive for November, 2011

My brother and sister-in-law have a bear. The bear dresses himself according to the season. Last week was deer hunting season.

Way back around 1990 or so when I was first working on the Foggy Crossing series, I read Tom Bodett’s The End of the Road and Small Comforts for clues on how to proceed. His books and style also had a lot to do with shaping the way I approached Population 485. So add him to the list of folks I owe but have never met.

He is lately best recognized for his appearances on the NPR quiz show, “Wait, Wait…Don’t Tell Me!” and of course is the longtime voice of Motel 6 (Yep, that’s him saying, “We’ll leave the light on for you.”) (As a guy who has spent years book touring on the cheap, I often say I’ve stayed at the Motel 6 so often Tom Bodett owes me a house payment.)

But: This audio of Tom telling a story about his father is one of the finest things I’ve heard in a long time. I want to say more, but will instead just say I hope you’ll give it a listen. I had trouble finding it on the Moth website but perhaps this link will work? You can also listen at the iTunes site here (Tom currently at #2).

Deadlines. Lucky to have them. And lucky to have this camouflage office overlooking a certain ridge.

Deer hunting is my New Year. I sit out there resolving to get my life in order, lean things out, do better as a husband, a dad. I find myself deep in the brown weeds swearing to trim the literal and figurative lard. Nature is ruthless in this sense: you hunker there on the cold ground or in the bare tree and feel what it’s like to be stalked by your own deficient soul. I like a pretty calendar as much as the next bank customer, but the true power of nature is how it looks at me.

I didn’t know Troy well, but I knew him. Well enough to say howdy. I’d see him around, many times at one of my events. Always read him for a good solid guy. But had no idea of the whole story. You read his life – even in its shorthand version – and you know he lived with an understanding of people from all walks. Imagine this world if there were more like him. Honored to say I shook his hand a time or two.

Today is the 5th anniversary of my brother-in-law’s American citizenship. I’ve said it before: we’re lucky to have him in this country.